How to L.A. aims to drop a little knowledge about ALL the things that affect the people of Los Angeles, whether that’s something that makes our city great (tacos!) or something that we need to work on, like the alarming number of traffic collisions. We serve the curious Angeleno who wants to better connect with our city, discover the new, navigate the confusing and even drive some change along the way.
Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live. This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.
#50: For our 50th episode (and second to last before 2023!) HTLA host Brian De Los Santos reflects on the changes this year brought him. Then our crew at LAist and some of our listeners share their wildest moments of 2022.
#49: WARNING: There are events discussed in this episode that might be upsetting for some. It's Hanukkah, a time for Jewish people to come together with friends and family, light the menorah and exchange gifts. But this year feels a little more solemn. Hate crimes, and particularly antisemitic ones, are on the rise in LA County. The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles recently held its second annual Shine A Light event at Grand Park in Downtown LA. Mayor Karen Bass and other political offic...
(Update) #23: He was known as the “Ghost Cat” . The “Brad Pitt” of Lions. The Old Man (in the cougar world). Any news of P-22 dominated the headlines, and his likeness inspired art all over the city. LA's one and only lion king was euthanized on Dec. 17 after severe injuries, likely from impact with a car. He leaves a huge legacy, including a wildlife crossing that is currently being built that will allow LA's wildlife to better roam without risk. Today we're revisiting the episode we published ...
#48: Heads up L.A., this next episode is all fluff. Cause it's the holidays. And you know what that means? Time to get basic! This cozy time of year has that ability to bring the most basic parts out in all of us, right? Host Brian De Los Santos and producer Megan Botel define what it really means to be a basic girl and take you on an LA basic girl journey - holiday edition. Explore pumpkin spice lattes, the Original Farmers Market, peppermint bark, selfies with Santa, overpriced candles and a h...
#47: Overdose deaths are rising dramatically in LA. Almost 1300% in the last several years. Fentanyl is a major culprit. LA's Public Health Department, LAUSD, LAPD and the DA's office have started strategizing to figure out how to deal with this crisis... But there are groups out there who have been practicing harm reduction for years: distributing narcan or fentanyl test-strips, and teaching classes. Groups like T.A.C.O., a national non-profit started by 5 college students, who saw a deadly pro...
#46: Since 2020, city and county leaders have promised to develop an unarmed mental health crisis response system amid demands for police reform. But two years later the pilot program announced by the city has yet to launch and the county's system is a patchwork of services for which there are enough trained people to do the work. HTLA host Brian De Los Santos checks in on how LA is doing on its promise to respond to mental health crises without law enforcement and what is needed for officials t...
UPDATE: Since this aired, BurritoBreak announced its closing. The high cost of eggs and other food sources, plus the lack of downtown foot traffic made it difficult to keep the business afloat. You can read more about it here: Egg Prices Tripling, DTLA Offices Emptying. Why A Beloved Breakfast Burrito Joint Is Shutting Down #45: Cheap Fast Eats! You know what that means: Gab and Brian are together again, eating their way through downtown LA. For our 4th installment, we're checking out some secre...
#44: CicLAvia is in its 12th year, closing down streets throughout LA county for folks to ride, skate, walk and just move their bodies without ANY cars. The event happens every other month or so. But even though most of the HTLA team were raised in the LA area (or have certainly lived here long enough!) none of us have ever done it. So here we go... to South LA with the whole team... let's go see what it's all about!
#43: Food insecurity is increasing in L.A. – almost 300,000 more households report lacking consistent access to food this year than in 2021. Blame it on lingering pandemic effects and now inflation. Enter Jamiah Hargins. He's the founder of Crop Swap LA, which works with unused spaces in Los Angeles to create microfarms, typically in someone's front yard, to grow food to serve people in the surrounding neighborhood. How To LA host Brian De Los Santos stops by one microfarm in View Park to check ...
#42: Southern California has more wild food than you might expect. There's a long history of foraging in and around Los Angeles. These foods have been everything from staples for indigenous communities, to delicacies for high-end chefs. (and, of course, food for critters!) Today, Jess Starwood is taking HTLA host Brian De Los Santos on a foraging hike. He tries his hand at mushroom hunting, acorn gathering, and berry plucking, to prepare some truly unique wild-food tacos. Guest: Jess Starwood, p...
#41: Every time the World Cup comes around, the watch parties go off in LA. Whether you are rooting for the USA, Mexico, Ecuador or Germany, you can find a bar, restaurant or even a home that will open its doors at pretty much any hour to welcome in fans to enjoy the game and likely eat and drink. This year's cup in Qatar is not without controversy but the game itself continues to bring Angelenos of different backgrounds together to revel in the play. On this episode, the HTLA team got up real e...
#40: Ask almost anyone who lives in Los Angeles to talk about the state of the city; it's pretty much guaranteed they’ll tell you homelessness is where they want to see change. Mayor-elect Karen Bass says she'll tackle the issue the day she enters office and has pledged to house 15,000 people in year one and end encampments. But at this point, the homelessness issue is downright overwhelming. Where should she focus her energies? We sought out some local experts for their thoughts. Guests: Gary P...
#39: On this podcast, we love to discover new places and things …and that includes checking out outdoor spaces in LA. We know how some of you love to hike and bike and just hang out in nature so we asked YOU to recommend your favorite spots to break away and enjoy the outdoors. We got some good suggestions, too. So on this day to #OptOutside, enjoy these fellow Angelenos' recs.
#38: Ever feel a little weird celebrating thanksgiving? It's easy to want to love a holiday that celebrates food, but this one is tied up in some pretty mucky American history. In this bonus episode, HTLA host Brian De Los Santos is sitting down with LAist food editor, Gab Chabrán. They're talking about why Gab never celebrated growing up... and what he plans to cook this year for his family – because even if you have complicated feelings about Thanksgiving, its still really nice to gather for a...
#37: It's Thanksgiving week, and today we're asking the question of what it means to be "American." It means something different to everyone. LAist's new series, " Being American," is exploring different meanings through reader essays submitted by Angelenos of all backgrounds. HTLA host Brian De Los Santos is talking to LAist's Immigrant Communities Correspondent Leslie Berestein Rojas, who is overseeing the project. Check out the series here: https://laist.com/news/essays/tell-us-your-american-...
(Update) #10: Since the news hit most of us on Sunday morning, we've been thinking about the mass shooting in Colorado Springs. A gunman opened fire in an LGBTQ nightclub, killing at least 5 people and wounding several others, just 6 years after another shooting in another LGBTQ club in Orlando, Florida. These incidents have hit the queer community hard as many, especially Black and Brown LGBTQ folks, still struggle to find their place, even in liberal places like L.A. As we reflect on this mome...
#36: Sunsets are one of those few things that most Angelenos -- most people in general -- can agree on. When the sun goes down, and the sky changes colors, blue to orange and pink… It always makes you stop and enjoy, even if it’s just for a moment. There's a lot of beautiful spots in LA to catch it, too. We asked our listeners for some of their favorite sunset moments and they gave us these stories . It's been a wild couple of weeks so consider this your moment of zen. Enjoy!...
#35: Riding a bike isn't exactly the safest way to get around in Los Angeles. The city introduced two programs in 2015 that were supposed to change that: Vision Zero, and the Mobility Plan 2035. But while there have been some new bike lanes installed, the city has been dragging its feet on funding. At the current rate, the planned projects wouldn't be completed for another 200 years... and meanwhile, traffic collision deaths are 58% higher than when they launched these programs seven years ago. ...
#34: Tired of refreshing your news feed for election results? Well, how about a quick adventure! In our latest trip through one of LA's neighborhoods, we hook up with HTLA listener and reader Andrea Martinez Gonzalez to take a tour of Angelino Heights, one of the oldest areas in the city. It's got some of the coolest and most diverse architecture around from Victorians to Craftsmans but, like so many places in LA, this once middle class enclave has become extremely unaffordable. Come check it ou...
#33: It's Cheap Fast Eats time again, and that means Gab Chabrán is hitting the streets with HTLA host Brian De Los Santos. Glendale has a large Armenian population, and their flavors can be found all over the city. Need a new burger spot? Maybe dumplings? Well, Brian and Gab are digging into it all. Still hungry? Well - Gab's got even more places to check out in this month's edition of Cheap Fast Eats . Locations: Front Yard Burger, Khinkali House, Zhengyalov Hatz Guest: LAist food editor, Gab ...
#32: Alright LA. We may not see results for all races and issues for a few days, maybe even weeks. But regardless of who steps into the city's leadership roles – progressive or moderate – there are some big issues that they'll need to take on right away. Today we're hearing from voters about they want ... and we're talking to some experts about the best paths forward on some of our city's biggest issues. Guests: Jody Armour, professor of law at the University of Southern California; Gary Painter...
#31: Election Day is here! If there is any doubt about why you should go out and vote, we want you to listen to three people who not only vote but work hard to get their peers and other young folks engaged. Sure, they get jaded from time to time, but they are exercising their right and trying to make the change they want to see. Guests: Clara Castronovo, UCLA student involved in a campaign that registers students to vote; Irene Rivera, senior policy advocate & organizer for the ACLU's Youth ...
#30: The race for L.A. Superior Court Judge might seem a little low profile... But did you know it draws the MOST questions from LA voters every election season? These judges weigh in on all sorts of cases from speeding tickets to murder. In other words, they're pretty important. If you're feeling like you need a little more info – don't worry. We got your back. Guests: Simona Grossi, professor at Loyola Law School, specializing in California civil procedure; Jerry Abeles, attorney and chair of ...
#29: November 8th – aka the last day to cast your ballot – is fast approaching. But don't worry, we've got answers to some voter FAQs to help get you ready. HTLA host Brian De Los Santos digs into LAist's Voter Game Plan , which has information on pretty much everything that's on the ballot in LA County and LA City. And stick around for a lighthouse walk on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Guests: Ariel Zirulnick, Senior Editor of Community Engagement; Lyn Watanabe, LA resident & longtime Palos V...
#28: One of the first things to know about Día de los Muertos is that is NOT the Mexican Halloween. Brian sits down with Ofelia Esparza to talk about the true significance of the tradition for some Angelenos. Esparza is kinda like LA's matriarch for Day of the Dead and is the go-to artist to build an ofrenda in this town -- the alter built to remember loved ones who had died. Guests: Ofelia Esparza, visual folk artist and teacher; Rossana Esparza Ahrens, artist and teacher
It's that time of year again so we just HAD to tell a few local ghost stories. We dug into the audio archives and found a few scary tales from L.A. that were once told to a colleague long ago... (ok, like 2018). These stories span the decades and take us from Kagel Canton to Koreatown to the L.A. Zoo. Oh, and you'll learn a little bit about the making of the Bradbury Building in Downtown LA. Enjoy!
#27: The Los Angeles Football Club, LAFC, is inching closer to the MLS Cup. The team faces Austin FC on Sunday in the Conference Finals . Though the LAFC is the second soccer team in this city, and it has only been playing since 2018, it has a DEDICATED fan base. These folks aren't just about soccer but about creating community at every game. HTLA host Brian De Los Santos explores the spirit behind the LAFC supporters groups. Guests: Jimmy Lopez, founding member of the LAFC's Independent Support...
#26: Antisemitic incidents have been on the rise in Los Angeles and surrounding counties for the last few years. Now, the artist formerly known as Kanye West is amplifying the hate by spewing antisemitic and racist comments in interviews and on social media. It's not a new thing for him but its reached a crescendo in recent weeks and has had significant ripple effects right here in our city. HTLA producers Megan Botel and Evan Jacoby talk to Jewish community members about what is happening, how ...
#25: The L.A. City Council has a LOT of power... But how do their decisions actually affect the lives of Angelenos? And how is it determined what areas of L.A. they control? HTLA host Brian De Los Santos is looking for answers. He speaks with Caitlin Hernández, a reporter for LAist who's been been following the City Council and the fallout from the leaked tape scandal. Also, don't forget -- there's an election happening. If you live in L.A. city, there are four council seats on the ballot . Gues...
In this bonus episode of HTLA we hang out in Boyle Heights in Council District 14, repped by embattled councilperson Kevin de León. We talk to community activist and Órale Boyle Heights podcast host Erick Huerta, about the community's reactions to this leaked taped scandal and the fact that de León says he will not resign his post. Guest: Erick Huerta, media organizer for East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, & host of the podcast Órale Boyle Heights
